Michigan Roundup for Sunday, July 28, 2013

BAD AXE (AP) — Two pickup trucks crashed at a rural intersection in east-central Michigan, killing four people who were in one of the vehicles, authorities said Sunday.

The incident occurred around 7 p.m. Saturday in Huron County’s Oliver Township, the sheriff’s office said. Seven people were involved in the crash, including six in one vehicle. Three were ejected.

The victims were Joshua Heck, 40; Jessica Heck, 38; Taylor Heck, 13; and Brendon Smith, 13. The Hecks were from the Pigeon area, while Brendon was from Caseville, the sheriff’s office said. They were all in the same pickup.

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The injured were taken to hospitals, although no details on their conditions were released.

Police were at the scene until 1:30 a.m. Sunday. The crash occurred about 60 miles northeast of Saginaw.

Missing elderly couple OK, back home in Roseville

ROSEVILLE (AP) — An elderly Detroit-area couple is safe after disappearing for more than 24 hours.

Vincenzo and Maria Lipiccollo were last seen Friday leaving a market in Macomb County’s Clinton Township. Detroit police found the Roseville couple late Saturday afternoon.

Roseville police say they simply got lost. The Lipiccollos are in their 80s.

Cyanide in groundwater found in Traverse City

TRAVERSE CITY (AP) — Officials in Traverse City are trying to determine whether cyanide is seeping into Grand Traverse Bay from the construction site of an upscale hotel.

The Traverse City Record-Eagle says high levels of cyanide in groundwater have been detected. Jean Derenzy, a Grand Traverse County planning official, says the state is spending more than $600,000 to treat the groundwater before it’s sent to a treatment facility.

The newspaper says that’s on top of $1 million from the federal government for other cleanup activities.

Derenzy says the source of the cyanide is unknown, although there was heavy industry along Grand Traverse Bay decades ago. Environmental consultant Chris Grobbel says the aquifer containing the tainted water leads to the bay.

Hotel Indigo likely won’t open by next spring.

Chicago area teen pulled from lake identified

CHICAGO (AP) — The teenager who was pulled out of Lake Michigan in southwest Michigan and pronounced dead hours later has been identified as that of a 15-year-old suburban Chicago resident.

Chicago’s WBBM Radio reports that the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office has identified the teen as Matthew Kocher of Tinley Park.

Lifeguards at a city beach in New Buffalo pulled the teen out of the water at about 2:30 Saturday afternoon. The radio station says that the rescuers began CPR on him and transported him to a hospital in Michigan City and then taken to University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital in Chicago. He was pronounced dead at 8:21 p.m.

Mich. legislative Republicans outraising Democrats

LANSING (AP) — Republicans who control the Michigan Legislature continue to outpace Democrats in raising money for the 2014 election.

The House Republican Campaign Committee reported last week that it raised $316,000 since April. The counterpart campaign fund for House Democrats raised $160,000.

The caucus fundraising totals are separate from what lawmakers raise for their own campaigns. The House has 59 Republicans and 49 Democrats, one independent and one open seat that is heavily Democratic.

Senate Republicans raised $291,000 in the most recent reporting cycle. Senate Democrats raised just $24,000. The Senate has 26 Republicans and 12 Democrats.

Democrats fare better when looking at the overall fund balances.

The House GOP has $807,000 and House Democrats $633,000. The Senate GOP has $1 million and Senate Democrats $408,000.

Ann Arbor tries to keep up with tree care

ANN ARBOR (AP) — Anyone have a saw?

Ann Arbor has had a Tree City USA designation for decades. But officials acknowledge they’ve fallen behind in pruning trees and cutting down diseased or dead ones.

AnnArbor.com says there’s a backlog of 1,400 that should be removed, more than 3 percent of the 41,000 trees along streets. Dead or dying trees can be threats to power lines, cars, houses and people.

City council member Mike Anglin calls it an “emergency.” Ann Arbor has 10 full-time forestry employees, down 33 percent since 1999.

New trees still are being planted — more than 1,000 in the next few years.

More than 1,000 Canada geese banded in SE Michigan

LANSING (AP) — State biologists and volunteers have rounded up over 1,000 Canada geese in southeastern Michigan and fitted them with leg bands.

It’s part of a nationwide program to track the population and movement of geese in the U.S. About 150,000 geese and swans are banded each year, along with more than 200,000 ducks.

The banding provides scientists with information about migratory flyways and kill and survival rates. The data is helpful in setting hunting regulations.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says the banding process involves herding geese into temporary pens. Each goose is captured and passed to a biologist, who determines its age and sex. Then it’s fitted with a band with a serial number so the bird can be traced. The geese are then released.